A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

only they had left to the Heathen their temples▪ and that if they should all agree to retire out of the Roman empire, the world would be amazed at the solitude and desolation that would ensue upon it, there would be so few left; and that the Christians were enough to be able easily to defend themselves, if they were disposed to rise up in arms against the Heathen magistrates. And Pliny, a Heathen who lived in those days, says, multitude, of each sex, every age and quality, were become Christians. This superstition, says he, having infected and over-run not the city only, but towns and countries, the temples and sacrifices are generally desolate and forsaken.

It was remarked by both Heathen and Christian writers in those days, that the famous Heathen oracles in their temples, where princes and others for many past ages had been wont to inquire and receive answers with an audible voice from their gods, which were indeed answers from the devil; I say, those oracles were now ⟨p. 204⟩silenced and struck dumb, and gave no more answers: and particularly the oracle at Delphos, which was the most famous Heathen oracle in the whole world, which both Greeks and Romans used to consult, began to cease to give any answers, even from the birth of Christ; and the false deity who was worshipped, and used to give answers from his oracle in that temple, being once inquired of, why he did now give answers as he was won• to do? made this reply, as several Heathen historians who lived about those times relate, There is an Hebrew boy, says he, who is king of the gods, who has commanded me to leave this house, and be gone to hell, and therefore you are to expect no more answers Many of the Heathen writers who lived about that time, speak much of the oracles being silenced, as a thing at which they wondered, not knowing what the cause should be. Plutarch, a Heathen writer of those times, wrote a particular treatise about it, which is still extant. And Porphyry, one of the Heathen writers before-mentioned, who opposed the Christian religion, in his writings has these words: It is no wonder if the city for these so many years has been over-run with sickness; Aesculapius, and the rest of the gods, having withdrawn their converse with men "for since Jesus began to be worshipped, no man has received any public help or benefit by the gods."